Use Protection From DSL Providers By Zip Code To Protect You Online, But Also Take Your Own Measures

The Department of Homeland Security has named October National Cyber Security Awareness Month. This was done due to the millions of dollars lost by individuals and companies to cyber crime. The message is that vigilance, both at home and at work can prevent many of the malicious attempts made on computer systems and networks every year. Of course, a good line of defense is to use security suites offered by ISPs such as DSL providers by zip code.

Are you putting yourself and those on your contact list at risk? That depends on what you do when you receive an email from someone you know. If you forward it along without ensuring it's safe, you could be responsible for future cyber attacks. The same risks apply on social media sites, where some share links almost as fast as they receive them.

It can seem like new security threats appear just as we've updated our virus definitions or released a new measure. One medium still under fire is email, where hackers attempt to solicit money by sending personal pleas for help, which are becoming increasingly easier to believe. But before you believe it, investigate it by knowing how to identify a false message.

We all know that the best place for a suspicious email is the recycle bin. But it can be a different story when you receive a message like this from someone you know. If you aren't sure of the origin of an email, look at the "From:" line. If the sender's address isn't a match to the one you already have on your list, be cautious. Secondly, read the email. Does it 'sound' like the person you know? If not, it should be deleted. If there's a link included in the message, check its validity by seeing whether the included link is the same as the link that appears in the bottom corner of your email client when you place your mouse over it.

Notifying an unsuspecting friend that you've received something suspicious from them is a great way to stop others from being duped. The person may not even know that an email was sent to you with their address, and so can cause them to increase the safety of their own computer.

Free resources like hoax sites can be instrumental in helping you identify a suspicious message. And most have many ways to search for hoaxes, including by subject (such as disaster emails), online classified scams, or even word for word. But when considering email, they are only effective if used prior to forwarding a message.

A classic scam is the 'personal plea' message, which may address you by name and contain a sad story about an accident or travel emergency. A request for money will usually appear in the body of the message, and instructions about how to get the money to the person in need. Beware of any message that asks you to provide money via wire transfer or by some other online method. Those who sell items at online classified sites should watch for very enthusiastic buyers who say they are overseas and need you to pay an agent to complete the transaction.

When you have the security measures provided by your ISP in place, along with the knowledge about how to avoid online scams, you can protect not only your family, but your entire contact list from many different forms of cyber crime.